Mr. Speaker, on October 11, we celebrated the International Day of the Girl Child. This year's theme was “Girls' vision for the future”, which conveys the need for urgent action and for hope, driven by the power of girls' voices and their vision for the future.
In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child to recognize girls' rights and the unique challenges girls face. Future generations will be disproportionately affected by global crises related to climate change, international conflict and poverty, as well as by push-back on hard-won gains for gender equality.
However, girls cannot realize this vision alone. They need allies, because the potential of the world's more than 1.1 billion girls is limitless. Girls are breaking boundaries and barriers posed by stereotypes and exclusion, including those directed at children with disabilities and those living in marginalized communities. They are doing so as entrepreneurs, innovators and initiators of global movements for future generations.
Let's go, girls.